Len Fertig is an American-born UK-based communications and media entrepreneur and consultant who has created, developed, advised, and managed media and communications businesses on both sides of the Atlantic for the past 30 years. He is known as an innovator and visionary leader who has frequently been at the leading edge of the industry.
Currently, Len is developing his newest entrepreneurial business, London-based Motive Television plc, that is introducing revolutionary new technology to traditional broadcasting. He also is building Constellation Media Group Ltd., an Internet services and communications business. Len serves as a Non-Executive Director of British Independent film company Metrodome plc.
In 2005, he led a turnaround of Brighton-based Futuremedia plc as Chief Executive Officer. In doing so he had to completely re-focus the company’s business, strengthen senior management, make and integrate two key acquisitions, and raise financing. By 2007, the company was poised for its first profit since 1992 and was effectively sold to a US-based hedge fund.
Before Futuremedia, Len has performed strategic and development consulting to clients such as BBC, ITN, the British Science Museum, and HBO. Prior to that, he was Executive Chairman of Media Content plc, a UK-listed sports television company.
In the 1990s, Len Fertig was co-founder and CEO of Central European Media Enterprises Inc. Under his leadership, CME grew in five years from a startup to a billion-dollar NASDAQ-listed multinational broadcasting company, and by continuing with Len’s business plan has grown to a $2 billion dollar plus valuation today. Len left CME with operations in eight countries covering 110 million viewers. Mr Fertig developed the strategy and business plans, identified and built local operating partnerships, won the television licenses, and hired and directed a management team that launched and operated successful commercial television businesses in each country.
Earlier in his career, as co-founder, Executive VP, and CFO of Reiss Media Enterprises, in 1985 Len Fertig launched Request Television, the first national pay-per-view cable channel in the United States in 1985. In 1987 he developed the first business plan for direct satellite-to-home television that became DirecTV.
In the 1980s, Len Fertig advised entrepreneurs and major media companies in the United States, developing several new television channels and assisting businesses such as the Arts & Entertainment Network, Comedy Central, and DirecTV.
During the 1970s, Mr Fertig was an airline executive serving in operations improvement, finance, and marketing positions for TWA and American Airlines and as a consultant to Republic Airlines, Midway, and the Trump Shuttle. During the period of airline deregulation, he was involved with the creation and development of such innovations as the Super Saver fare, the AAdvantage Mileage program, introduction of Business Class, and the transition of the industry from a highly regulated to a market based competitive environment.
Leonard M. Fertig holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from Columbia University along with postgraduate work towards a Phd. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research.
He lives in Brighton in the UK.